British Royal Navy
The British Royal Navy, better known as the Royal Navy, was the naval armed force of the British Empire, in operation from the early 18th century. The main British Royal Navy base in the Caribbean was established at Fort Charles in Port Royal, Jamaica. At its height, it was the most powerful navy on the Seven Seas. As its influence grew in the Caribbean, the East India Trading Company employed Royal Navy marines and ships to escort its vessels and defend against pirate attacks.Pirates of the Caribbean: The Visual Guide, p18-19: "East India Trading Co." History Origin The Royal Navy was established during the early 1700's when the English and Royal Scots Navies were unified into one organization, although the two Navies operated together since the Union of the Crowns in the early 1600's. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Royal Navy fought in many battles against her French and Spanish counterparts. The Royal Navy was one of the key weapons in the creation of the British Empire, conquering new lands and establishing colonies for England in the Far East, Africa, and the Caribbean. Piracy During the times of war, the Royal Navy employed many pirates as privateers to harass the Spanish Treasure Fleets on behalf of England. But when the wars ended, the privateers found themselves unemployed, and many of them turned to piracy once again, mostly in the Caribbean Sea. .]] Piracy was one of the biggest problems for the Royal Navy. The best officers of the Royal Navy were often sent to hunt down the most notorious pirates in the Caribbean. According to legend, the infamous pirate Blackbeard was beheaded by Royal Marines in 1718 off the coast of North Carolina, before he swam three times around his ship and then climbed back onboard. Bartholomew Roberts was killed by the Navy in 1722 off the west coast of Africa. Edward Teague, the Pirate Lord of Madagascar, was chased by Admiral Lawrence Norrington in the late 1720s''Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow: Sins of the Father. Many pirates were captured by Commodore James Norrington's forces and hanged in Port RoyalPirates of the Caribbean: The Visual Guide, p24: "Norrington". But despite that, pirates remanied active well into the 1740s. Quest for the Fountain of Youth In 1750, King George II and his ministers would learn that King Ferdinand of Spain had located the Fountain of Youth. In an attempt to solve the issue of finding the Fountain, the King and the Royal Navy tried to enlist help from the notorious pirate Jack Sparrow, who had knowledge of the route to the Fountain.Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: The Visual Guide, p14-15: "The British" After the elusive pirate escaped St. James's Palace, a crew of the Royal Navy, led by the reformed pirate and privateer Hector Barbossa, participated in the quest for the Fountain in the King's behalf. Their mission was to find the Fountain before the Spanish crew did. Despite the assistance they received from Jack Sparrow, who rendezvous with Barbossa's crew on the island where the Fountain of Youth was located, the British ultimately failed their mission to secure the Fountain in the King's name. Almost all of the crew were killed and their leader returned to piracy.Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides'' Symbols The Royal Navy uses several symbols, so that her ship cannot be mistaken for merchant ships or ships of other navies. One of the emblems of the Royal Navy shows a shield with the British flag, two crosses, two ships and three Royal Crowns. The crowns represents the power of the English Monarch and the ships represents the power of the Navy. The Royal Navy flags includes the Blue Ensign, which is the flag of the "Blue Squadron", and White Ensign, which is the flag of the "White Squadron". Royal Navy officer ranks *Cadet *Acting Lieutenant *Ensign *Lieutenant (also see Lieutenant Commander) *Captain (commander, master and commander, post captain) *Commodore *Admiral (rear, vice, and flag) Notable members Notable vessels , pride of the Royal Navy]] Appearances *''Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow: The Sword of Cortés'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow: Sins of the Father'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow: Poseidon's Peak'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: Armada of the Damned'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: Legends of the Brethren Court: Wild Waters '' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: The Price of Freedom'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl'' *''The Accidental Pirate!'' *''Enter... the Scarecrow!'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean Online'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End'' **''Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End'' (video game) *''Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides'' Sources *''Pirates of the Caribbean'' (film series) *''Pirates of the Caribbean: The Visual Guide'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: The Complete Visual Guide'' *''Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: The Visual Guide'' Notes and references Category:British Royal Navy Category:Navies